Welcome Guest! If you are already a member of the BMW MOA, please log in to the forum in the upper right hand corner of this page. Check "Remember Me?" if you wish to stay logged in.

We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMWMOA forum provides.
Why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on
the forum, the club magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMWMOA offers?Want to read the MOA monthly magazine for free? Take a 3-month test ride of the magazine; check here for details.

If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You will need to join the MOA before you can post: click this register link to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

NOTE. Some content will be hidden from you. If you want to view all content, you must register for the forum if you are not a member, or if a member, you must be logged in.

Bikes in motel rooms

Originally Posted by dwestly

Ha! Always the best security. Rode my '76 Honda XL350 Enduro cross country (FL to TX) in 1977 (with stock knobbies), making sure it was tucked in the motel room each night with me. Helpful tip: Always let it cool down BEFORE you bring it in the room. Otherwise you're sleeping with hot engine/gas fume remnants the rest of the night LOL.

As a small hotel owner who takes pride in what we offer to the public, I can tell you that if you even tried to put a motorcycle in one of our suites, or a bicycle for that matter, you would be evicted in a heartbeat and there wouldn't be a refund. We do provide a locked enclosure for bicycles but not for motorcycles.
Summertime it is not unusual to have more than 20 boats in our parking lot with an average value of approximately $60,000.00 each.

Now here is a humorous but true story. Two years ago my brother and I were on our way to Arkansas and were staying at a friends house in New Mexico. The gate to his back yard was too narrow for either bike (my 1150 and his brand new Harley with less than 1,000 miles) We had the house to ourselves as our friends had to leave town. They did however have a security camera which I could look at the bikes from the bedroom I was in, and they assured me that the monitor would beep loud enough to wake me if there was movement anywhere near our bikes. Around midnight the beep woke me and as I looked at the monitor, I observed my brother walking around the motorcycles and then looking around the side streets. When he came back in I asked him if he heard anything and his reply was that he couldn't sleep for fear someone would steal his Harley. I rolled over and went to sleep. Two hours later - the same thing.
After three hours I heard the bathroom shower on and when I checked it out, he said he couldn't sleep.
We left Albuquerque about 3:30 in the morning.

I have been a cop for 26 years and never have done or heard of someone getting their motorcycle stolen from a hotel in the city I work. Tallahassee, Florida............The ones that do get stolen are usual sport motorcycles near our colleges and those type cases are rare. If persons want your property, no matter what you do person will take it. I would enjoy my trip, secure it with the key, have good insurance, and just have fun. Irode from Florida to Alaska, gone for 3 weeks, without having a problem.

I just googled MC thefts in your city & there are 2 listed now-sorry We all know, there are bad guys everywhere. Best to be cautious & enjoy the moment as you say.

"If I had my life to live over, I'd dare to make more mistakes next time...I'd relax,I'd limber up... I would take fewer things seriously...take more chances... take more trips...climb more mountains...swim more rivers...eat more ice cream." Jorge Luis Borges at age 85.

Statistically Speaking...

"Overall, there were a total of 46,667 motorcycle thefts in the U.S. in 2011. From 2010 to 2011, motorcycle thefts decreased 6% even though motorcycle sales slightly increased"

"Motorcycle thefts increased during the warmer months, as July and August had the most motorcycle thefts and December, January, and February had the least motorcycle thefts. Motorcycle thefts typically occurred on Mondays and Tuesdays"

Been in a few places, I would have liked to park bike in the room, it wouldn't fit
I ask, when staying at hotels if I can park in front, or if its the type of motel where you park in front of room do so
Always lock steering forks, remove valuables, set alarm and COVER bike
A lightweight cover is easy to pack, keeps dust and dew off the bike, and keeps curious eyes from exploring your bike

I've ridden in 49 states and 21 countries without a cable lock. Don't think people steal BMW's.

Where are you going to park? JK

My experience also. Locking the steering is prob the easiest thing.
Those cables like you describe are very thick and very heavy. A pain to pack and carry. A cover mine with a vanilla cover, ie one that does not advertise BMW inside.

Repo work

One of my first jobs was in repo. I leave the keys in my bike. A pro will take it no matter what you do and an amateur will do more damage than a professional trying to circumvent your "protection". BTW, I have left the keys in my motorcycles my entire life and in over 25 countries. Never had a problem.

BTW, I have left the keys in my motorcycles my entire life and in over 25 countries. Never had a problem.

A friend always did that as well. He never had a problem, except in Yellowknife NWT. Someone removed the keys, not the bike. Cost him a $100 to have a locksmith make him a new key. Despite that, that didn't stop him from leaving the keys in the ignition.

Paul
Retired and riding my RTs, the '87 K100 & the '98 R1100 !
Forest City Motorrad Club #159Knights of the Roundel #333

In Alton, IL there is a popular place called Fast Eddies Bon Aire, local hangout for Harley Riders. A couple of years ago there was a story that more HD's were stolen off their parking lot than anywhere else in IL and that is when the owners were in the restaurant!

Carry and use a lightweight full cover and you won't have any trouble, out of sight is the way to go.
BTW I take extra care with my windscreens and a old pillow case put on first over the windscreen before the cover prevents any scratches.
I very often leave my bikes in remote places while hiking in the West and I'm convinced the full cover is the reason I've never had any trouble.
Nick Kennedy